Shoe working machine



Sept. 18, 1934.

J. R. BRITTON SHOE WORKING MACHINE Filed Dec. 10. 1931 INVENTOR, J. A. BFITT'OH.

BY fifh/h- 7 ATTORNEY.

Patented Sept. 18, 1934 UNlTE-D STA TES PATENT OFFICE.

8 Claims.

My invention relates to a device for making shoes conform to the foot of the wearer. Especially new shoes are stiff and rub and blister the feet before they are broken in, also, they are Very painful to bunions or to feet which are otherwise shaped a little differently than usual, but which do not require shoes to be specially made to order to fit them. With my device, the new shoe can be worked a short time and it becomes as comfortable as an old shoe, but with no, or negligible,

wear to the shoe.

The objects of my device are to construct a machine that will stretch the shoe a little, at the place or places needed, repeatedly, until the leather has both lost its stiffness and conforms to the foot; other objects and advantages of my invention will be apparent from the following description and the accompanying drawing showing one modification thereof, and in which,

Fig. 1 is a plan view of the machine.

Fig. 2 is a vertical view of the machine, with a shoe thereon indicated by dotted lines.

Fig. 3 is a partial sectional view of the machine, with a sectional view of a shoe thereon.

Similar numerals refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

A support 1 has thereon uprights 2, on the top of which shaft 3 is journaled. The shaft may be rotated by belt 4 on pulley 5. Rods 6 project 0up through support 1 and are held rigidly by plate '7 on bar 8 which is in turn supported by uprights 2. Clamps 9 have slots therein that fit over bolts in the support 1 which bolts have thumb nuts 10 to secure them in place over the 5'edges of a shoe sole 11, indicated in Fig. 2 by dotted lines. Last 12, divided vertically lengthwise through its center into two parts is within the shoe 13. The last has notches 14 in its bottom in either of which a roller 15 may be placed to rock the last sections on. The last sections have separate plates 16 fast to their tops, notched as at 17 to be slidingly placed around rods 6. Rods 6 have compression springs 18 thereon which tend to push plates 16 upwardly.

Cams 19 fast on shaft 3, and with their portions most removed from their axis of rotation being oppositely disposed, contact with plates 16 and rock the last sections on their roller or fulcrum, and the springs 18 push the plates up after the earn has receded. A block 20 may be placed under the instep of the shoe to keep the roller 15 from breaking down the instep. Should the shoe need adjusting for a bunion, a small bunion shaped plug 21 may be inserted on the side of the last.

The motion given the last sections is slight, also it is desirable that it be not too rapid, but a slow motion continued for perhaps a quarter of an hour, will shapen up a pair of shoes so that they are quite comfortable when they first leave the store. The last may be otherwise changed to conform to any deformity of the foot and a little working of the shoe will make it comfortable. Such working, done in the manner suggested, will not injure the shoe or lessen its probable wearing life. The cam contact plate could be omitted from one side of the last if only the other side of the shoe needs working.

Many changes may be made in the device without departing from the spirit of my invention and I, therefore, intend to be limited only by the appended claims.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a shoe working machine, a last substantially vertically divided into two longitudinal sections to fit within a shoe, and means to vibrate said sections vertically relatively to each other to alternately stretch and release the respective portions of the shoe.

2. In a shoe working machine, a last substantially vertically divided into two longitudinal sections to fit within a shoe, means to vibrate said sections vertically relatively to each other to alternately stretch and release the respective portions of the shoe, and means to hold the sole of the shoe stationary during said vibrating.

3. In a shoe working machine, a last substantially vertically divided into two longitudinal sections to fit within a shoe, means to vibrate one of said sections slidingly relatively to the other to alternately stretch and release the portion of the shoe over the vibrating section, and means to hold the sole of the shoe stationary during said vibrating.

4. In a shoe working machine, means to hold a shoe stationary, a last to fit within the shoe, a fulcrum between the bottoms of the last and shoe, and means to rock a portion of said last on said fulcrum to alternately stretch and release the portion of the shoe over the rocked portion of the last.

5. In a shoe working machine, a last divided into two sections to fit within a shoe, a fulcrum between the bottoms of the last and shoe, means to rock said sections over said fulcrum relatively to each other to alternately stretch and release the respective portions of the shoe.

6. In a shoe working machine, a last divided into two sections to fit within a shoe, a fulcrum lease the portion of the shoe over the rocking section.

8. In a shoe working machine, a last divided into two sections to fit within a shoe, a fulcrum between the bottoms of the last and shoe, means to rock one of said sections on said fulcrum relatively to the other to alternately stretch and release the portion of the shoe over the rocking section and means to hold the sole of the she stationary during said rocking. JAMES R. BRITTON. g l, 

